Guilty, By Association
by TriStateCopFan
Summary: A little fun as Bobby and Alex undergo their yearly Fitness For Duty psych exams. Bobby in Chapter 1, Alex in Chapter 2.
1. Chapter 1

**Guilty, By Association**

If there was one thing that Bobby really hated, it was his annual psych exam. The "Fitness For Duty Exam" is what the Department called it, but what it boiled down to was the fact that yet another shrink was trying to delve into his head in order to determine if he was sane enough to keep his gold shield and gun and be unleashed upon the City for another year.

How many times over the years had he heard the words "...and don't come back until you've been cleared by psych services!" --but he always was cleared; he always made it back. Wasn't that proof enough for them? Not to mention his six months' of therapy and counseling with Dr. Olivet during his suspension. _I'm not crazy. Moody, quirky and tempermental, maybe, but crazy? No. Never._

Bobby had already completed the multiple written questionnaires and his verbal interview with Dr. Cardona (who, ironically, had taken the place of Dr. Charles Webb as the resident shrink for the PBA). He fidgeted in the chair, toying with a paperweight on the Doctor's desk, crossing and uncrossing his legs as he impatiently waited for the Doctor to return to the office.

Finally, the door opened and Dr. Cardona resumed his position behind his desk.

"Well, Detective, just a few more minutes and you'll be done," the Doctor said, as he reached for a paper from his drawer.

Bobby nodded and smiled, putting on his best act. _Geez. I just wanna get the hell outta here_.

"This is just a brief 'association' test," the Doctor cheerfully said. "I'm sure you're familiar with it. I say a word, and you tell me the first thing that comes to mind," the Doctor smiled.

Bobby nodded. _This is ridiculous. But, I suppose it's better than last year when they gave me the Rorschach and all I could see was Alex's ---_

"Okay. Ready?" the Doctor smiled.

"Ready," Bobby nodded.

"Okay. Here goes -- FLOWER."

_Alex. The roses I gave her for her birthday. She loved them_. "ROSE."

"PAINTING."

_Alex. I remember how she made me laugh when she said 'I guess Madame Monet dropped some green beans in the bucket.' She's so sarcastic_. "MONET."

"DIAMOND."

_Alex. She couldn't fathom why Gia DeLuca didn't take all those diamonds and run. I told her that diamonds don't keep you warm at night. _"BASEBALL."

Dr. Cardona stifled a chuckle and glanced up at Bobby. "Most people say 'engagement ring'. Okay, let's continue.

"BEAUTIFUL."

_Alex. Inside and out. The most beautiful woman --person--I've ever known. _"UGLY."

"GOLD."

_Alex. When she smiles at me and her beautiful tawny gold eyes actually twinke. _"MEDAL."

"QUESTION."

_Alex. In the beginning I used to question myself how long she'd stay. And after a while, I questioned why she stayed. And now...there's no question. She's here to stay." _"ANSWER." _Alex is the answer to everything in my life._

Bobby watched as the Doctor jotted some notes.

"Okay, Detective. We're finished," Cardona said, as he tapped the papers on his desk to straighten them, then slipped them into the folder. He then stood and extended his arm across the desk to shake Bobby's hand. "The Chief and your Captain will have your clearance by the end of the week," he smiled.

Bobby relaxed, glad that it was over. _Thank God he doesn't know my real responses to every word...he probably would think I'm crazy. Nah, I'm not crazy. Just guilty. Guilty of being in love with my partner. That's bad enough. _"Thanks, Doctor. Have a good day."

**X X X**

Dr. Cardona smiled as Dr. Olivet answered the phone. "Hi, it's Jerry. Yeah, he just left. Of course you're right --he's totally in love with his partner, but, yeah, I cleared him. This weird relationship seems to work for these two. See ya at the seminar on Saturday."

**X X X**

Bobby happily exited the office, bounding down the stairs and heading to the deli to grab a pastrami sandwich. He smiled smugly to himself, glad that his evaluation had gone so well. _I've been dealing with psychologists since I was seven...they think a stupid 'association' test is actually gonna reveal something-- ha!,_ he scoffed.

Bobby took a window seat in the deli so he could people-watch while he ate. He was on top of the world. As he bit into his piled-high sandwich, he thought_, I wonder how Alex did on her test_.

THE END.


	2. Chapter 2

**Blotches or Bobby?**

Alex let out a sigh of frustration –purposely loud enough for the receptionist to hear—as she paced the waiting room of Dr. Lentz' office. The apologetic young woman had already informed her, _twice_; "The Doctor's just running a _little_ late." That was forty minutes ago.

_What a waste of time_, Alex thought, as she reclaimed her chair and reached for the People magazine she'd already leafed through. _Ewww, I can't even believe I'm touching this germy thing._ She quickly came to realize that there was nothing interesting to read the second time around, so she tossed the magazine onto the table and sank back in her chair.

_I wonder how Bobby made out with his test? If he's even done yet. He must be okay, or else my cell would be ringing and he'd be cussing a blue streak_. She chuckled at the thought. _I wonder why I got sent to this guy? I saw Dr. Cardona last year._

Alex hated the yearly psych tests as much as Bobby did, but for different reasons. Damn shrinks. _I've been fit enough for duty all year, but if the doctor doesn't like my answer today when he says 'table' and I say 'lamp', they're gonna yank my badge? _She shook her head with disdain. _Yank this!_ She smiled, as she imagined flipping off the Chief of D's –a move he'd totally expect from her partner, but not from her.

_Geez, don't they remember – I'm so normal I was voted Prom Queen_.

The doctor's door opened and the receptionist, with clipboard in hand, announced, "Ms. Eames."

_Finally_. Alex was anxious to get the process underway and get out. She was hungry and had a ton of paperwork in her IN basket that she needed to tackle.

**X X X**

"Detective Eames, I'm Dr. Lentz," the man smiled. "Please, have a seat."

Alex smiled and sat in the armchair directly across the doctor's desk. She glanced, curiously, around the office and furrowed her brow –a involuntary habit she did often.

"Something wrong?" Lentz asked.

"No. I was just wondering why I've been waiting forty-five minutes. I didn't see the appointment before me leave."

"Good observation, Detective," Lentz smiled. "I let him use the back door. He's um…paranoid about who he might run into in the waiting room." _My, isn't she a scrappy one. Observant, blunt, …this should be fun._

Alex gave a small smile as she nodded her understanding. _Probably was the Chief…or the Captain. After the past couple of years they've had with Bobby, they probably do need counseling_. She smiled at her thought and was thankful it went undetected, as Lentz was busy reading her paperwork.

**X X X**

**One-half hour later…**

"All right, Detective, just one more part of the testing and you'll be outta here," Dr. Lentz smiled. He opened a drawer on the right side of his desk and retrived a folder.

_Good. It's about time_..._ 'cause this is ridiculous_ a_nd I'm starving_. Alex smiled.

Dr. Lentz stood and gestured towards a small seating area in the corner of his office. "Let's have a seat over there. It'll be better not having this big desk between us," he smiled.

Alex chose the chair closest to the window, taking a quick glimpse outside as she sat.

_Ha. She took the chair closest to the window. As close as she can get to being outside. She really wants 'out'_. Lentz smiled.

"Okay, I'm sure you're familiar with this -- the Rorschach Test. I show you a card, and you tell me what you see," the Doctor said.

_Geez, this is stupid. I did this back in school in psych class. I never saw anything but blotches of ink_. Alex smiled and nodded.

"Okay. First card," Lentz announced and held up the card in front of him.

"A man," Alex said. _A tall man, with big, wide shoulders. And curly hair. Bobby._

"Card number two," Lentz said.

"A....notebook," Alex answered. _Actually, a thick portfolio --brown, leather. Bobby's._

"Okay. Card number three," the doctor said, holding the next card in front of him.

"A coffee mug." _My Santa mug. I've gotta win that back from Bobby. I hate the way he gloats when it's on his side of the desk. He does it just to bug me. He's adorable_.

"All right. On to card number four," Lentz smiled.

"Um...a face. A man's face, with big brown eyes." _God, Bobby has the most gorgeous, expressive eyes_.

The doctor cleared his throat, purposely, rousing Alex from her thoughts. "Detective. This ink blot test is in black and white. There isn't any brown." Lentz stared at her, waiting for her reaction. He chuckled to himself as he watched her cheeks flush pink.

Alex cringed and nervously fingered a lock of hair before tucking it behind her ear. _Crap. I hope my face doesn't look as red as it feels_. "Sorry, must've been the way the light was hitting the card," she lamely explained.

"Ahhh," Lentz agreed --not buying it for a second.

"Okay, last but not least, card number five," the doctor smiled as if holding his trump card.

_Thank God. The last card and I get finally get the hell outta here._

Alex stared at the card, mindful of her upcoming answer; she didn't want to mess up again. _This...this can't be. A big shoe print in between a big 13??? My eyes are definitely playing tricks on me. God, wasn't it hilarous when Bobby did that to Henry Talbot?_ She chuckled to herself at the memory. _I wonder what else he has that's a size 13?_

"Detective. You're not supposed to think about. Just gimme your first impression," Lentz smiled as he wondered what was going on in Alex's mind.

"Oh, sorry," she blurted out. "Um... a column on one side...and the profile of a face...with...well, just a big blotch in the middle," she lied and shrugged her shoulders.

Lentz smiled as he stood from his chair. "All right, Detective. That'll do it," he said as he tucked the cards back into the folder.

Alex smiled --more than anxious to leave.

"I'll get your approval papers to your Captain in a couple of days," Lentz smiled as he opened the office door and stood aside for Alex to pass.

"Thanks, Doctor. Have a good day," Alex smiled and rushed out through the waiting room.

X X X

As soon as she hit the sidewalk she was hitting the speed dial on her phone. "Hey, it's me. Yeah, I just got out--what a joke. How'd you make out? Good. Me too. You eat yet? Aww, you brought lunch back for me? Thanks. I'll be there in fifteen minutes." Alex smiled as she flipped her phone closed. She couldn't wait to get back to work --and to her partner.

X X X

As soon as she left, Lentz was dialing the phone. "Cardona, it's Lentz. Yeah, she just left," he laughed. "Yeah, yeah -- I know. I owe ya the fifty bucks. Damn! And I thought Benson and Stabler were bad."

THE END.

A/N: Well...it WAS just a one shot...but since a few of you asked for more from Alex's POV, here ya' go.


End file.
